STATEMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT SECRETARY ROSALINDA DIMAPILIS-BALDOZ ON THE EXTENSION OF THE DEADLINE FOR THE CORRECTION OF STAY OF ILLEGAL MIGRANT WORKERS IN SAUDI ARABIA
2 July 2013

“I very much welcome the decision of the King of Saudi Arabia to extend to 3 November the deadline for the legalization or correction of stay of illegal migrant workers in Saudi Arabia, which includes Filipino workers.

“On behalf of our OFWs in Saudi Arabia, I thank the King and his government for the extension of the deadline which will provide a reprieve on the part of the workers and the Philippine Overseas Labor Office for the processing of the voluminous worker documents.

“I have instructed our labor attaches in Saudi Arabia, namely Labor Attaches Alejandro Padaen and Adam Musa to continuously assist our workers, in close cooperation with the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh and the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah, in getting their employment documents that will lead to the legalization of their stay in the Kingdom.

“I have also directed them to take advantage of the coming Ramadan break to meet with our workers in the Filipino community and inform them, particularly the illegal workers, of the steps they need to take to legalize their stay by availing of the extension, and assist them find employers so that after the Ramadan, their documents could already be processed.”

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